


How to Solve Your Dad's Murder

by lilisdivine



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Basically I'm writing what the writers probably won't, Betty Cooper Loves Jughead Jones, F/M, FP Jones is their biggest supporter, Hurt/Comfort, Jughead Jones Loves Betty Cooper, Light Smut, Mentions of season four Bughead, With slightly less shitty writing, betty's suffering the consequences, but jughead still loves her so it's complicated, but they're with other people, getting back together angst, literally not explicit at all, you'll see why - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 09:20:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23848852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilisdivine/pseuds/lilisdivine
Summary: After five years and after they've finally moved on with other people, Betty and Jughead get "the call" that brings back unexpected, but not unwelcomed, feelings.ORYou get to watch Betty and Jughead fall in love again after five years of being apart and being in denial about how they still feel about each other.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 7
Kudos: 65





	How to Solve Your Dad's Murder

**Author's Note:**

> I'm kind of new to this, so feel free to add any suggestions, criticism, or encouragement.

_ Betty _

“Betty? Betty?” The voice on the opposite line cried out through tears.

“Mom? Is everything okay?” Betty asked as she ran out of her 12:50 Journalism Final.

Her mother heaved through the phone, almost like she was having a panic attack. Betty didn’t let herself get too worried before Alice told her anything. It was typical for her mother to overreact. Betty would know.

“FP… he… he-”

“Deep breaths mom. What happened?”

“He was in a car accident, Betty.”

Betty’s heart stopped. Her mind roamed to all the times in high school when he welcomed her into the trailer with open arms when her mother had lost her shit. “Is he… is he gonna be okay?”

“He’s in cr-cri-critical care right now.”

“But he’s gonna make it, right?” Betty couldn’t find it in herself to cry. It’s not that she didn’t care, she just felt very numb and had a difficult time understanding how to feel.

Alice took a deep breath and sniffled on the other end. “Betty… how soon do you think you can make it home?”

“Mom, you know I love FP like family, and I’d do anything to repay him for all that he did for me in high school, but I have college and classes I’m paying a fortune to attend.”

“Betty, it wasn’t a request. It was a demand. They said he’s most likely not going to make it.”

Betty sighed. “Fine. It’ll probably take me five hours in my car, four and a half in Adam’s pick up.”

“I need you to be here as soon as possible, so just bring Adam with you.”

“Mom, are you crazy? I can’t just ask him to drop everything and come back home with me!”

“Get used to it, sweetie. That’s how the married life is, and that’ll be you in just a couple of months. Besides, It’s two days until Winter Break, Elizabeth. If it’s an emergency, your professors are obligated to send you your finals over email.”

“That’s not how it-”

“JUST…” she spoke over Betty, “ask him to come. We’ll figure out the rest when the time comes.”

Before Betty could get another word out or try to protest, Alice hung up. Betty leaned up against the nearest wall and groaned, trying to calm herself down before she went back to the Lecture Hall to finish her final.

Back at her shared apartment with Adam, Betty stormed through the door, slamming it behind her.

“Good afternoon to you too,” he joked, resting on the couch with his arms stretched out across the top cushions.

Betty walked quickly over to him, discarding a new piece of clothing with each step until she was left in nothing but her panties and lowered herself onto his lap. As she cupped his face, he grabbed her hips and she ground herself into him, pulling his lips to hers.

Her hands slid to the top of his head, digging her nails into his scalp. He moaned at sensation.

“Betty-” He said once she moved down to his neck. She unbuttoned his shirt as her lips danced across the crook of his neck. 

Whatever Adam had planned on saying was long forgotten when her dainty fingers unbuttoned his jeans.

…

After a satisfying afternoon, Betty collapsed onto his chest.

Adam panted for a few moments before he finally said something. “As much as I love this,” he started as he began playing with her hair, “is everything okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” She lied.

“Betty, you stormed in here and slammed the door hard enough to shake the whole building.”

“I just had a rough day. That’s all.”

He gave her a look that told her that he wasn’t stupid and knew there was more to it than that.

“Fine,” she breathed. “My mom called me in the middle of my Journalism Final and told me that our close family friend, FP Jones, is currently in critical care and has a slim chance of making it.”

“I’m so sorry…”

Betty groaned. “And now she wants me to drop everything and go home to say my final goodbyes. I mean, I haven’t even seen him since I moved here.”

“Well, this was your last final, wasn’t it? I think you should take the chance and go see him one last time in case he doesn’t make it.”

“Yes, but she wants me to take you with me.”

“Why? I hardly know the guy.”

“You’re acting like Alice Cooper needs a reason for anything. Have you learned nothing from the past four Thanksgivings with her?”

He was silent.

“I know it’s really last minute, but you know how my mom is.”

“Fine,” he exasperated. “What time do we have to leave?”

“Now, and before you protest, you still have clothes left at my house from Thanksgiving Break.”

“Betty, it’s fine. You don’t have to justify yourself for me. I’m in.”

…

_ Jughead _

Jughead tossed and turned around in his bed, slinging his arm off of the blonde resting next to him, when he heard his phone’s ringtone start to go off.

He looked at the time. 1:06 PM.  
“Fuck,” he groaned, dragging his hand down his face.

“Everything okay?” the blonde asked.

“Yeah, Debbie. It’s just one in the afternoon and my sister’s calling me,” he smiled at her before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “But she can wait a minute,” he set his phone down and kissed her softly.

She smiled into the kiss, running her hands up his bare arms until his phone rang again. They both groaned. “Or not,” she laughed.

“He, JB. What’s up,” he said, stretching as he got out of bed. “Woah, woah, woah. Slow down. What happened?” … “He WHAT?” … “Well, is he gonna make it?” … “W-wh-when should I be there?” he choked out. “I’ll be there by tomorrow morning.” … “Okay, love you too. Bye.” He hung up the phone.

“FUCK,” he cursed as he punched the nearest wall, shaking the rest of the apartment.

“Is everything okay, Jug?”

He sat on the edge of their bed, burying his face in his palms as she rubbed his back. “My da-dad… h-h-he was in a car accident.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“A-and th-they said he-he’s probably not go-gonna make it.”

She slowly rubbed his back in circles, staying silent for fear of saying something that make the situation worse for him.

“Would you be willing to come back with me? For emotional support? I know you have work and I know it’s a busy week-”

“Jug. It has been a busy week, but I can go up to Vermont with you for a couple of days. But I’ll have to be back by Monday for last minute Holiday Shopping.”

He wanted nothing more than for her to stay with him the whole time for emotional support, but he understood work and school come first and that was the first thing Debbie told him when they first started dating in their second year of college.

“Yeah, of course. I think all I need is a few days to process anyway. I should be fine by Monday anyway.” He knew for a fact that he wouldn’t be fine by Monday and that he’d be grieving for some time. “Come Monday, feel free to leave and I’ll come back to Iowa after Winter Break.”

“Okay,” she smiled and kissed his cheek.

He frowned to himself, already starting to feel his heart break at the thought of losing his dad and not having someone there to catch him once he falls. 

…

Seventeen and half hours, three gas stops, and five bathroom breaks later, they finally made it to the old trailer park. After  _ things  _ happened at the end of his senior year, they were forced into finding a new trailer that he didn’t burn down because it was taken over by his drug lord mother.

“Jellybean? Are you home?” Jughead asked as he made his way up the two steps, hand-in-hand with Debbie.

“Yeah, Jug! I’m in here.”

Jughead walked Debbie into the living room. Jellybean’s eyes widened when she saw Debbie, and then looked back at Jughead. This was the first time Jellybean had met Debbie because Debbie was always busy with work. 

“Nice to meet you, officially,” Debbie held her hand out, smiling cheerfully. “It’s a shame it has to be under such terrible circumstances.”

“You, too,” Jellybean said slightly awkwardly, shaking her hand back.

“I hate to cut this really short, but where’s the bathroom,” she asked.

“Just straight in the back,” Jellybean smiled.

When the door to the bathroom shut, Jellybean let out a laugh. “So, Debbie, huh?”

“What?”

“Thought you said you were letting go of the past once you graduated high school.”

“What are you talking about?”

“God boys are so dumb, it’s a miracle you ever got a girlfriend at one point. Let alone a second one.”

Before Jughead could defend himself, Debbie emerged from the tiny room in the back of the trailer. “Are we all ready to go? I can drive to the hospital if you guys need me to.”

Jughead shrugged. “I’m fine with that. As long as I get shotgun,” he teased and tousled Jellybean’s hair. 

Jellybean rolled her eyes. “Actually Mrs. Cooper texted me before you guys got here. She said she’s gonna pick us up and we’ll meet some old friends there.”

“Who?” Jughead asked, unconsciously wrapping his arm around Debbie’s shoulder. He didn’t really care who they were meeting there. He just wondered if he would have to prepare himself for one of those awkward meetings with close family friends he hadn’t seen since before he learned how to walk.

“I don’t know. She didn’t say,” Jellybean replied. But Jughead could tell she was lying and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. “I don’t!”

“Right. Just tell Mrs. C that we’ll meet her there.”

Before Jellybean could protest, he walked out of the trailer, and to the car with Debbie. He opened the driver’s side door for her then got in on his side. 

Before she started the car, she placed her hand on his and caressed the back of his hand. “Jug, I know how important he was -- or is -- to you. So, we can take all the time you need at the hospital. No rush. Understand?”

He knew she had pure intentions, but he couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed at her for talking to him as though he was some fragile being; that if she said the wrong thing he would shatter into tiny pieces of glass. Sure, maybe he would shatter if he got bad news about his dad. But he didn’t want to admit it. “Understood, Debs.”

When they got to the hospital, Debbie was walking on emotional eggshells around him. He asked for emotional support, not to be treated like a five year old who just lost his favorite matchbox car. “Are you sure you’re ready to go in there?”

“Debbie, every second I wait out here is one less second I get to spend with my father who I might never get to see again. Yes, I’m ready.”

He walked into the hospital without Debbie, but he suspected that she would follow closely behind him. He was surprised when he got to the front desk and no one was there.

“Don’t even bother,” an achingly familiar voice interrupted him. He turned around to see a sloppy blonde ponytail. “I’ve been waiting for an hour and they keep telling me to wait just a few more minutes.”

…

_ Five Years Earlier. August 2020. _

_ Jughead packed up the rest of his belongings in his shared room with Betty. It was only two weeks before classes started at the University of Iowa and Jughead and FP decided it would be a good idea to move him into his new apartment a few weeks earlier so he could adjust easier to this new environment. _

_ “Is that all that’s left?” A soft, but sad, voice asked from the doorway. He turned around and saw Betty with tears staining her cheeks as she looked shyly down at her feet. _

_ “Hey, hey, hey. Come here,” he gestured for her to come sit by him on their bed and wrapped his arms around her tightly, resting his chin on top of her head that was now buried in his chest. “I know distance is gonna be difficult, but there’s always FaceTime. There’s the Holidays that we can look forward to.” _

_ Betty ignored his statement and sniffled. “Jug… there’s something I need to tell you. And I’ve been meaning to tell you this for months, but I just didn’t know how to tell you. But I don’t think I could live with myself if I let you leave for college without knowing what happened. _

_ “Betts, you’re scaring me a little. What happened?” _

_ She took a deep breath. “Do you remember in April when we had that fight because I was trying to make sure you graduated on time?” _

_ “Yes, of course,” he said as he rubbed circles on her back.” _

_ She moved his arm off of her. “Please don’t do that, it’s only gonna make this harder.” _

_ “Betty, what happened?” _

_ “After that fight I went to go practice for the Variety Show with Archie. We were singing  _ Origin of Love  _ and we got really caught up in the moment and we… you know.” _

_ Jughead straightened up and moved slightly away from her. “No, Betty. I don’t know. Please enlighten me.” He did know, but he wanted to hear her say it to highlight the realness of what she was telling him. _

_ “We… kissed,” she blurted out, immediately wishing she could take it back, but also feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders from finally being honest about what happened four months ago. _

_ He scoffed, trying to hide the emotion he was feeling. In reality, though, his anchor had just pulled at the bottom of his heart, sinking it down into the depths of his stomach. _

_ “Please say something.” _

_ “What is there to say, Betty? You cheated. You kept it a secret for months on end…” _

_ “Because I didn’t know how to tell you without hurting you,” tears rolled fast down her face, leaving hot stains behind. _

_ “If you didn’t want to hurt me, why’d you do it in the first place?” _

_ “I don’t know. I was hurt, Archie was hurt. He’d just had a fight with Veronica, too. It was in the moment and we both regretted it immediately. I didn’t want it to be brought up again.” _

_ “So you take a break and be by yourself for a while. You don’t go kiss my best friend.” _

_ Betty was silent. _

_ Jughead got up and grabbed the last of his clothes in their -- Betty’s -- room. When he reached the door, he turned around to say one last thing. “It’s funny,” he scoffed. “We’ve gotten into so many fights before, most more serious than me not doing my homework, and never once did the thought of kissing Veronica cross my mind. If I can’t trust you when we’re living in the same town, there’s no way in hell I can trust you from across the country. I’m done. We’re done.” _

…

_ Present _

“Betty? What the hell are you doing here?”


End file.
